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My article with 15 years worth of no-knock warrant data was published today, clearly showing racial disparities in how they're executed in the city.
We're publishing it just as council is considering possible reforms to how they're used. This is how the story came together:
We're publishing it just as council is considering possible reforms to how they're used. This is how the story came together:
I started at @917wvxu the day before the election. I knew I had to hit the ground running and prepped by reading the WVXU website for HOURS. As I did that, I wrote down questions I had about city issues, including no-knocks bc something seemed off to me right away.
It seemed like officials there was a very low number of no-knocks being executed in the city...like...very low. So I put in a FOIA request on all no knocks stretching back 15 years. Then I waited.
I got the data on no-knocks the last week of January. This is what I found:
- Police have drastically decreased no-knocks over the past 15 years from a high of 44 in 2008 to two in 2019 and none last year.
BUT
- Police have drastically decreased no-knocks over the past 15 years from a high of 44 in 2008 to two in 2019 and none last year.
BUT
No-knocks were mostly used in historically Black neighborhoods like Avondale, Walnut Hills and parts of Over-the-Rhine.
And Black people were especially likely to be the target of no-knocks.
And Black people were especially likely to be the target of no-knocks.
Arrest data provided to WVXU was incomplete, but showed in the past five years, 27 of 34 people arrested were Black, and 24 of them were Black men.
Nearly all of the arrests stemming from no-knocks are related to drug crimes.
Nearly all of the arrests stemming from no-knocks are related to drug crimes.
There's a reason for that. No-knocks are the product of the War on Drugs, which historically targeted Black people and POC more than White people. https://www.wvxu.org/post/war-drugs-time-change-tactics#stream/0
At least some of that bias still rolls over into how people are arrested and jailed for drug use today, according to national data. https://www.vox.com/2015/3/17/8227569/war-on-drugs-racism
Cincinnati is no exception to how no-knocks are used and who they target in communities, according to the data provided by CPD.
I talked to a few experts about these disparities and if there's a way no-knock reforms can address these issues.
I talked to a few experts about these disparities and if there's a way no-knock reforms can address these issues.
Here's what they had to say: https://www.wvxu.org/post/data-no-knock-warrants-target-black-cincinnatians-decrease-throughout-city
And here are some of the proposed changes council may consider in the coming weeks. https://www.wvxu.org/post/no-changes-no-knock-warrents-cincinnati-now#stream/0
For the record, CPD has been mostly mum on the issue of no-knocks, for now. Here's the statement they gave me: "Chief Isaac has stated publicly on several occasions that he does not want to see the use of a no knock provision for specific circumstances be completely taken away...
...from our Department, but he is open to a thoughtful review of our current process and exploring best practices in law enforcement on this important topic."
I am eager to hear what the Law & Public Safety Committee says about no-knocks today. Members include:
@voteSundermann @mannforcincy @GregLandsman @KearneyForCincy @votelizkeating @voteSmitherman and Steve Goodin.
@voteSundermann @mannforcincy @GregLandsman @KearneyForCincy @votelizkeating @voteSmitherman and Steve Goodin.
